Katie Couric Pays Tribute to Late Husband Jay Monahan 20 Years After His Death: “We Miss You”

Twenty years ago today, Katie Couric tragically lost her beloved husband Jay Monahan to colon cancer. And now, on the anniversary of his passing, Katie has paid tribute to her late love on Instagram. "Jay Monahan. Jan. 9, 1956 — Jan. 24, 1998. Twenty years ago today. We miss you," the 61-year-old TV star captioned a sweet snapshot of Jay with one of their daughters on the photo-sharing site.

Many of Katie's 301,000 Instagram followers were quick to send their love and condolences to the former Today star after she posted her message to Jay on Wednesday, Jan. 24. "Your late husband would be so proud to see what a wonderful mom and role model you are to your darling daughters. You deserve all the happiness in the world!" one person wrote with another adding, "Sending you so much love and light today. I lost my sister 10 years ago… it’s so hard… but we honor our loved ones with how we remember them and treasure them still."

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Katie and Jay previously married in 1989 and later welcomed daughters Ellie Monahan, now 26, and Carrie Monahan, now 22, together. Following Jay's death from colon cancer in 1998, Katie — who also lost her sister Emily Couric to pancreatic cancer in 2001 — became an impassioned advocate for cancer research and education. "I hope he would think that the work that I’m doing – whether it’s in colon cancers or in other cancers, to save future Jay Monahans from experiencing the same fate that he did — is worthwhile and important," the journalist once said.

Sixteen years after Jay's passing, Katie tied the knot with banker John Molner in 2014. "Katie and John are so happy. They really enjoy each other’s company, and Katie loves having a partner to come home to and have date nights with," an insider told Closer Weekly in a previous interview. Though she is now remarried, Katie continues to keep Jay's memory alive for herself and her two daughters. "I think about him all the time. We still have photos of Jay all over the place and I try to keep him alive in our day-to-day interactions. I honored him by raising two pretty great kids who have a lot of him in them," she once told Closer.